440c Problem child or just misunderstood

I'm not a custom knife maker, but as a consumer, I equate 440C with cheap, low quality mass production knives from the likes of Pakistan. It may not always or even mostly true, but when I hear "440C," that's the voice in my head that you have to overcome. Say S30V, D2 or even 1095 and I hear other voices.
 
There used to be lots of custom knives done in 440C. It's mostly avoided now due to the association with cheap, poorly heat-treated imports, but it seems to be making a comeback in the production knife world so I wouldn't be surprised to see it start coming back in customs as well.
 
Manufacturers tend to focus on edge retention these days, so 440C has fallen a bit out of fashion. It's has decent edge retention, but nothing like many of today's super-steels.

It also also replaced by AUS-8 (similar properties) with many manufacturers, probably due to pricing. I personally prefer 440C though.
 
Pure perception/fashion. Wasn't that long ago that it was a "super steel." 440C just isn't "sexy" anymore.
 
i have a good number of knives made by art summers in 440c and they all hold a good edge. i let a buddy use a tanto he gave me to chop the feet off the deer he shot and it never did anything to the edge.
 
I have an Eddie White, aka Shadow Knives, fixed blade in 440C and it also cuts well and holds a good edge. Doesn't 440C have great anti-corrosion properties, and that is a reason it is used a lot of times in art knives?

The 440C in Entrek knives is some of, if not the best, 440C around. Once it was determined that Boker Plus uses real 440C in their knives marked 440C, I begin to use them a bit more in the outdoors and found the steel to be very adequate in sharpening, and edge holding.
 
Glad cutter17 mentioned Eddie White. It has been his steel of choice for a long while. Just like Ed Fowler with 52100, Eddie has the heat treat down and his blades do really well in every way.
 
Much of the cr*p steel wasn't even 440C, it was stamped 440 implying it was 440C.
Nothing wrong with 440C and currently some bargains to be had thanks to peoples perceptions.
 
I have some bokers in 440c they're awesome!! I prefer 440c over AUS8 and alot of other steels,it's just not a "supersteel"by that I mean powder,alloy laden steel.
 
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Sure it is. It was one of the FIRST "super steels"! It's just "boring" to a lot of folks now.
 
It's the super steel from ages past (which makes it a very decent steel), most people would rather pay a little more and get something more modern though.
 
According to Sandvik, coarse carbide steels like 440C have little to recommend them over other stainless steels due to comparatively poor sharpness, edge stability, and toughness. Powder steels may be more expensive, but do not have poor performance in any relevant factors, along with excellent wear resistance.
 
+2 on Ebbie White knives. I love mine in 440c. Holdsan edege very well. I still think it's a super steel. :thumbup:
 
Hiro-kun said:
According to Sandvik, coarse carbide steels like 440C have little to recommend them over other stainless steels due to comparatively poor sharpness, edge stability, and toughness. Powder steels may be more expensive, but do not have poor performance in any relevant factors, along with excellent wear resistance.
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1) Does Sanvik make 440C or steels that compete with 440C?
2) "Sharpness" has nothing to do with types of steel.
3) "..do not have poor performance in any relevant factors"? Any? Please. Sounds like pure marketing hype. Best steel ever!
 
marcinek said:
1) Does Sanvik make 440C or steels that compete with 440C?
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They make steels (which doesnot 440C) which are designed to be used in knives. Most of their knife steels appear to be what they call "fine-grained steel", but they do manufacture one coarse carbide steel (19C27).
marcinek said:
2) "Sharpness" has nothing to do with types of steel.
Click to expand...
The reason that Sandvik gives for the relatively poor sharpness of steels like 440C is that the large carbides fall out, leaving a ragged, saw-like edge.
marcinek said:
3) "..do not have poor performance in any relevant factors"? Any? Please. Sounds like pure marketing hype. Best steel ever!
Click to expand...
This is relatively speaking, of course. Keep in mind that Sandvik does not produce powder-metallurgic steels. If you read the link, you would see that the conclusion they expect the reader to come to is that fine grained steels are the optimal choice for most knives.
 
Hiro-kun said:
The reason that Sandvik gives for the relatively poor sharpness of steels like 440C is that the large carbides fall out, leaving a ragged, saw-like edge.
Click to expand...
Not an entirely undesirable thing for a lot of users, you just have to know how to use it. Still, I feel 440C is eclipsed by D2, which is what I think of when someone mentions a toothy chromium carbide steel. Though I feel 440C really fell out of favor with the introduction of 154CM and has since been forgotten. And I'm not sure what advantages 440C would have over the CPM-154 favored by most knifemakers these days.
 
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